job seekers

Media Statements: Minister for Education and Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games, The Honourable Kate Jones

A new booklet launched today at Rockhampton State High School will give Queensland jobseekers a competitive edge.

Education Minister Kate Jones and Training and Skills Minister Yvette D’Ath visited the school to tell students about Be Work Smart, a publication designed to help them “get the right job and keep it”.

Ms Jones said Be Work Smart was a valuable resource for high school students.

“This workbook will teach the skills to help students secure a job, whether that be a part-time job while they complete studies, an application for an apprenticeship or a first step into the full-time workplace,” she said.

“Be Work Smart has resulted from extensive consultation with employers, training providers and schools and has been produced to improve the job-readiness of applicants in response to employer feedback.

Ms D’Ath said anyone looking to gain employment can benefit from working through the booklet.

“Every job a person applies for is an exam of a kind, and studying Be Work Smart gives jobseekers the tools to put their best foot forward,” Ms D’Ath said.

Roy Morgan has released their latest research into the rise of youth unemployment and what they see as a connection to mental health issues in young Australians.

From 2010 to 2014, the number of young job seekers had nearly doubled and the added stress to find a job but also get their careers started were impacting their mental health. The report found of those 18-24 year olds looking for work last year, 28% were found to have anxiety and over 41% were affected by stress.

Angela Smith, Group Account Director, Roy Morgan Research, says:

“The rise of youth unemployment in Australia is a huge source of concern, and the Federal Government needs to address it before it gets any more widespread.

“At this critical stage of a young person’s life and career, the failure to find a job can have serious implications on their self-esteem and general mental health. It is no coincidence that stress, anxiety, depression and even panic attacks have sky-rocketed in incidence over the past five years among 18-24 year olds as unemployment rises.

“While these mental health conditions are affecting more Aussies of all ages, young Australians are being hardest hit. While 14.5% of the population were affected by depression last year, this shot up to one quarter of young job-seekers. Not only is this sad, it puts more pressure on our already stretched healthcare system.”